PLANT BASED ETHNOVETERINARY PRACTICES IN MIDDLE MOUNTAIN REGION, CENTRAL NEPAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v31i1.65792Keywords:
Ethnic groups, Informants, Livestock, Plant diversityAbstract
Ethnoveterinary practices have long served as an important approach to managing the health of domestic animals in rural parts of the country. The main objective of this study was to document local knowledge on the use of various plants for treating livestock diseases in Konjyosom Rural Municipality, in the middle mountain region of Central Nepal. The primary data were collected by interviewing 90 informants who were rearing the domestic animals like cow, buffalo and goats. The study recorded 76 ethnoveterinary plants from 45 families and 71 genera, with Poaceae being the most prevalent family. These plants, primarily herbs, were often sourced from the forest, with leaves being the most dominantly used part. Notably, raw application was the preferred method for treating livestock diseases. Dermatological and gastrointestinal ailments had the highest Informants Consensus Factor, indicating a strong agreement among informants. Cannabis sativa, Artemesia indica, and Ficus religiosa were among the most frequently cited plants having highest Relative Frequency of Citation. Such traditional knowledge not only aids in livestock health but also contributes to plant diversity conservation. Documenting such practices is crucial to preserving this knowledge and further research into the bioactive compounds of these plants could help in the formulation of drugs for future use.
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